THE CROWD:

The spotlight is shining bright on the Center Stage Chapter of the Guilds in support of the Orange County Performing Arts Center this week.

Center Stage organizers joined forces with generous donors Jane and Richard Taylor, hosts of a charming Valentine weekend reception in their Newport Beach residence.

The Sunday evening soiree welcomed Center Stage members and guests including Lois Adams, vice chairwoman of members of the Guilds of the arts center, Kathy Reich, Louise Costa, Margie Lord, Corky Lunsford, Ilana Richmond, Grant McPhail, Rebecca Wright, Kelli Humphrey, Virginia Vandagriff and Marilyn Rehberger. Rita McPhail chaired the party and coordinated the entertainment, which featured a performance by Jessica Hayes.

The talented young woman is a member of “Tomorrow’s Stars,” an educational program of the arts center that supports young artists with performance opportunities and scholarships.

Talena Mara, Center Stage vice president, addressed the crowd about recent developments at the arts center as well as educational programs and the center’s commitment to youth in the community.

Close to 100 guests dressed in Valentine-appropriate red enjoyed the reception at the Taylor residence, sampling gourmet hors d’ oeuvres and toasting Cupid while raising funds to support the arts center and its educational programs for youth.

Coming up Sunday, Center Stage will take on the excitement of the 81st Annual Academy Awards celebration as hosts Kathy and Cliff Fleming open their estate residence in Cowan Heights for the annual black-tie optional evening with Oscar.

Margie Lord and Louise Costa will co-chair the party, which will begin with plenty of red-carpet-arrival excitement and feature a fabulous dinner and plenty of entertainment. Kathy and Cliff Fleming have been long associated generous Center donors and good friends of the Center Stage Chapter of the Guilds.

They are owners of South Coast Helicopter Corporation and have also been closely associated with the Hollywood industry through their business.

Newport’s respected civic leader Harriet Wieder will be honored next week along with Jack Peltason, receiving the Chairman’s Award from one of Orange County’s preeminent business organizations known as the Forum for Corporate Directors.

The Ritz Carlton Hotel in Laguna Niguel will be the setting for the 14th Annual Director of the Year Awards and Dinner on Wednesday. Honorees will also include Hank Adler, Neil Dimick, Thomas Madden, Matthew Witte and Dean Yoost.

Special guest host of the evening will be Paul Folino, local philanthropist and executive chairman of Emulux Corporation. The Forum dinner attracts the biggest names in business in Orange County and is sponsored by a long list of vibrant local corporations. The evening will be chaired by the dynamic Terry Goldfarb-Lee. For more information e-mail [email protected].

The Newport-Mesa crowd will be heading to Anaheim for a March 5 underwriters evening at the fabulous home of Jolynn Benn and Patrick Mahoney.

The evening is being sponsored on behalf of a charitable organization known as Canyon Acres, which is a child abuse prevention and care facility in Orange County.

The special evening will unfold in the 2-acre garden estate, which features eight waterfalls, lush tropical vegetation and garden ornamentation galore.

Party organizers are calling it “An Evening in the Lost World.”

Sofia and Jim Riley will join Benn and Mahoney co-hosting the evening on behalf of Canyon Acres and it is a pre-party in advance of the May 16t Blue Ribbon Gala set to be at the Balboa Bay Club and Resort in Newport Beach.

More than 500 guests are expected to help raise more than $350,000 for the programs at Canyon Acres. Founded in 1980, Canyon Acres Children and Family Services have been providing care and treatment for Orange County children who suffer from a variety of emotional and psychological disorders.

Tickets to the May 16 gala are priced at $250 per person. Call (714) 385-5272 to make your reservations.

THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays.